The internet is a global system of interconnected computer networks that interchange data by packet switching using standardized Transmission Control Protocol/Internet Protocol (TCP/IP). The computer networks are linked by copper wires, fiber-optic cables, wireless connections, and other technologies. Accessible via the internet is the World Wide Web (WWW), which is a system of interlinked hypertext documents. With a web browser, users may view webpages through the WWW.
Webpages consist of hypertext markup language (HTML) along with associated files for graphics and scripts. Hypertext links are also provided on webpages. These links allow a user to navigate to webpages pointed to by the link. Certain links within the webpages provide advertisements which deliver marketing messages to attract customers. Use of the Internet to advertise products and services often take the form of banner advertisements, pop-up advertisements, interstitials, frame advertisements, and the like. However, the content of these advertisements has been called into question.
Content filtering prevents inappropriate advertisements or ads from being displayed on a webpage generated by a web publisher. Filtering rules can be set by the web page publisher when requesting ads from an advertisement or ad server. Nonetheless, content provided within images have been difficult to filter. These images are represented by pixels having color and shading typically providing no indication to a computer whether it is inappropriate or not. Previous systems matching the shape and other distinguishing features have taken large amounts of processing time and memory making it virtually impossible to process multiple images. Furthermore, characterizing shapes within an image does not necessarily determine whether the image is inappropriate or not.